TCU (10-2) vs. Northern Illinois (7-5)
Dec. 19, 8 p.m. ESPN2
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Poinsettia Bowl History
2005 - Navy 51 ... Colorado State 30 |
By
Richard Cirminiello
Poinsettia Bowl Player profile
QB Jeff Ballard, TCU – Under “intangibles”
in the football dictionary, there ought to be a head shot of
Ballard. His spirals aren’t always the tightest and he’d rather run
through a defender than slide in front of him, but he’s won 18 of
his 20 career starts in Fort Worth, largely because of those unique
traits that are inherent to all winning players and can’t be taught
at an Elite 11 Quarterback Camp. Ballard leads like a coach on the
field, makes everyone around him sharper and often plays through
pain, an infectious, yet all too common occurrence in 2006. Very
early in the season, the Frogs’ offensive catalyst injured his back
and the AC joint in his throwing shoulder, yet hasn’t missed a game
or many tacklers when scrambling outside the pocket. Only recently
has Ballard begun to approach 100% physically, and not
coincidentally, the TCU offense hasn’t been this explosive since,
well, since Ballard replaced Tye Gunn behind center last October.
The Frogs went on a tear to finish the regular season, averaging 45
points a game over the final three weekends and twice racking up
more than 600 yards behind a perfect blend of the run and the pass.
An energized Ballard was the conductor, throwing seven touchdown
passes and running for four more, while completing nearly 80% of his
throws. A few extra weeks of rest leading up to this game means
he’ll be as healthy as he’s been all year, an ominous thought for
the suspect Northern Illinois pass defense. Ballard isn’t up for
any national awards nor is he considered one of next April’s
can’t-miss NFL prospects. He just wins football games, which is
just fine for head coach Gary Patterson and the TCU program.
Best Horned Frog Bowl
Moment
– Generations before the current Frogs
were even out of diapers, TCU was
winning Southwest and national titles in
the 1930s with All-Americans, such as
Sammy Baugh and Davey O’Brien.
O’Brien’s 1938 TCU team capped off a
perfect season with a 15-7 Sugar Bowl
victory over then- No. 5 Carnegie Tech.
Best Huskie Bowl Moment – There
wasn’t much drama or many style points,
but Northern Illinois’ 34-21 win over
Troy in the 2004 Silicon Valley Classic
was a landmark victory for a program
that was breaking a 21-year postseason
dry spell.
TCU's best win ...
TCU 12 ... Texas Tech 3
It wasn't a thing of beauty as Texas
Tech was held without a touchdown for the first time since 2000. Chris
Manfredini kicked four field goals, one in each quarter for all the
points TCU would need against a Red Raider offense that put up 242 yards
and only managed a 22-yard Alex Trlica field goal in the first quarter.
TCU outrushed Tech 180 yards to 34 and successful on three fourth down
stops.
TCU's worst loss ...
Utah 20 ... TCU 7
Utah got two touchdown passes from Brett Ratliff to Brett
Casteel and the defense forced three turnovers in the fourth quarter to
go 2-0 in Mountain West play. TCU got a one-yard Lonta Hobbs touchdown
run in the second quarter, but failed to connect on a few chances in the
second half and got many of its 310 yards on a garbage time final drive.
Louie Sakoda hit field goals from 29 and 32 yards out for the Utes.
Northern Illinois' best win ...
Northern Illinois 31 ... Central Michigan 10
Garrett Wolfe ran for three touchdowns scoring from ten, two
and 13 yards out and Dan Nicholson threw a 20-yard scoring pass as
Northern Illinois blew past the MAC West champions. The Chippewas
managed a one-yard Ontario Sneed touchdown catch and a 25-yard field
goal from Rick Albreski, but the defense couldn't handle Wolfe and a NIU
running game that helped the Huskies hold on to the ball for 33:42.
Northern Illinois' worst loss ...
Toledo 17 ... Northern Illinois 13
Toledo went on a 17-point first half run with Aaron Opelt
running for a six-yard score and threw a three-yard scoring pass to
Steve Odom, and then had to hang on for dear life as the Huskies, who
opened up the scoring with a five-yard Marcus Perez touchdown catch, got
two Chris Nendick field goals, and had a chance at the win on the final
drive. Helped by two pass interference calls, NIU got to the Rocket two.
After two incomplete passes and a run by Garrett Wolfe that went nowhere
thanks to a stop from Greg Hay, a Horvath pass to Britt Davis in the end
zone was broken up by Hay to preserve the win.
2005 Poinsettia Bowl
Navy 51 ... Colorado State 30
Navy ripped off 467 rushing yards in a game that saw 1,183
yards of total offense and a record-tying performance from Midshipman RB
Reggie Campbell, who scored five times. Colorado State held a 10-7 lead
after the first quarter, but Navy reeled off 27 straight points on
Campbell touchdown runs of 22, 2 and 21 yards out along with a 22-yard
Marco Nelson scoring run. CSU kept it interesting in the second half
thanks to QB Justin Holland, who finished with three touchdown passes,
including two in the third quarter to Dustin Osborn, but the navy option
proved to be too much to overcome with FB Adam Ballard pounding for 129
yards to lead the way.
Player of the game: Navy RB Reggie Campbell ran
16 times for 116 yards and three touchdowns, caught two passes for 89
yards and two scores, and returned four kickoffs for 85 yards.
Stat Leaders: Navy - Passing:
Lamar Owens, 5-10, 144 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Adam Ballard, 15-129. Receiving:
Reggie Campbell, 2-89, 2 TD
Colorado State - Passing: Justin Holland,
26-33, 381 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Kyle Bell, 22-122, 1 TD. Receiving: David
Anderson, 9-126
TCU Bowl History (8-13-1)
|
2005 |
Houston |
TCU 27, Iowa State 24 |
|
2003 |
Fort Worth |
Boise St 34, TCU 31 |
|
2002 |
Liberty |
TCU 17, Colorado St 3 |
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2001 |
Galleryfurniture |
Texas A&M 28, TCU 9 |
|
2000 |
Mobile Alabama |
So Miss 28, TCU 21 |
|
1999 |
Mobile Alabama |
TCU 28, East Carolina 14 |
|
1998 |
Sun |
TCU 28, USC 19 |
|
1994 |
Independence |
Virginia 20, TCU 10 |
|
1984 |
Bluebonnet |
West Virginia 31, TCU 14 |
|
1965 |
Sun |
UTEP 13, TCU 12 |
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1959 |
Bluebonnet |
Clemson 23, TCU 7 |
|
1958 |
Cotton |
TCU 0, Air Force 0 |
|
1956 |
Cotton |
TCU 28, Syracuse 27 |
|
1955 |
Cotton |
Mississippi 14, TCU 13 |
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1951 |
Cotton |
Kentucky 20, TCU 7 |
|
1947 |
Delta |
Mississippi 13, TCU 9 |
|
1944 |
Cotton |
Oklahoma State 34, TCU 0 |
|
1941 |
Orange |
Georgia 40, TCU 26 |
|
1938 |
Sugar |
TCU 15, Carnegie Mellon
7 |
|
1936 |
Cotton |
TCU 16, Marquette 6 |
|
1935 |
Sugar |
TCU 3, LSU 2 |
|
1920 |
Forth Worth Classic |
Centre 63, TCU 7 |
|
Northern Illinois
Bowl History (2-0)
|
2004 |
Silicon Valley |
NIU 34, Troy 21 |
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1983 |
California |
NIU 20, CS Fullerton 13
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